Container



Sept. 14, 1965 M. H. SMITH CONTAINER Filed July 17, 1964 FIG 4 INVENTOR.MALCOLM H SM/ TH ATTOPA/FV United States Patent 3,206,105 CONTAINERMalcolm H. Smith, Monroe, La., assignor to Olin Mathieson ChemicalCorporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed July 17, 1964, Ser. No.383,292 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-55) The present invention relates todisposable containers and in particular relates to disposable containersformed compositely of a self-opening style, square-bottom paper bag incombination with an internal bladder or skin of plastic material.

A particular feature of the present invention is the provision of adisposable container of the above general structure useful to packagefree flowing solids or liquids such as milk (wet or dry), acid, salt,sugar and similar fluids and solids.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a disposablecontainer embracing a plastic bladder in an outer kraft paper bag wherethe bladder is fitted with a pour spout accessible through a tearopening in the bag.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a novel closureoperable to develop a handle panel of sufficient strength to render thecontainer portable as by a deliveryman.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of an inexpensive,high strength, composite plastic-paper container which is flexible yetsusceptible of ordinary handling without damage.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a compositeplastic-paper container which may be disposed in an appropriatereceptacle in a domestic refrigerator suitable for dispensing milk orsimilar fluids through the spout and through said tear strip.

A composite, disposable container embracing certain features of thepresent invention may comprise an internal plastic bladder fitted with apour spout, an external paper housing defining a square bottom,self-opening style kraft paper bag, said bag and said bladder defining agenerally rectangular prism, one end of said bag being reinforced with aband of paper, said end being closed by a sewn seam where said seam ispositioned within the boundaries of said reinforcing strip and contactssaid strip, a cutout formed in said handle panel within the boundariesof said reinforcing strip operative to provide access for grasping saidhandle panel by means of said cutout.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent from an examination of the succeeding specification when readin conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 discloses a perspective view, with certain portions thereofbroken away for clarity, of a composite, disposable containerillustrating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the handle panel of FIG. 1 as viewed alongthe line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing a modification of thereinforcing strip; and,

FIG. 4 shows a still further modification of the handle panel structure.

The reference numeral designates a thin filmy bladder or skin fabricatedof a plastic material such as polyethylene.

The bladder 10 is housed in a self-opening, squareice bottomed kraftpaper bag 11 where the square bottom is indicated by the referencenumeral 12 and the open end is indicated by the dotted lines referenced13.

The kraft bag is formed with a line of weakness 14 and a tear tab 16operative to expose a pour spout 17 formed integrally with the bladder10.

In operation, one merely grasps the tear tab 16 and pulls out patch 18exposing the leading end of pour spout 17. Pour spout 17 is drawnthrough the opening provided upon removal of the patch 18 and fluidcontained within the bladder 10 is removed through the pour spout.

Since the present invention is directed to the composite bladder andkraft paper bag structure, a detailed description of the pour spout perse will not be undertaken other than to state that it may take the formdisclosed herein or other forms such as shown and described in US.Patents 3,007,608; 3,108,732; or 3,117,695.

The package of the present invention is constructed by filling thebladder 10 with a desired liquid or solid, such as milk (wet or dry),and the bladder is closed by heat sealing.

Thereafter the filled bladder is positioned within the kraft bag so thatthe pour spout is disposed adjacent patch 18. Next the open end 13,shown in dotted lines, is gathered to the position shown in solid linesto define a handle panel 20. Next a reinforcing strip 19 is applied tothe panel 20 as shown in FIG. 2.

In the alternative, a double reinforcing strip 21 as shown in FIG. 3 isapplied to provide additional strength and additional body to the panel20.

Next the panel 20 is sewn through the strips 19 or 21, as the case maybe, to close the bag 11 by means of stitching 22.

Subsequently the reinforced panel 20 is cut with a suitable die alongthe line 23 to develop finger access for manual transfer of thecontainer.

In some embodiments of the invention and for purposes of finishing thehandle panel in neat fashion an additional band or ribbon of decorativematerial, as indicated by the reference numeral 24 (FIG. 4) is appliedto conceal the stitching.

It is anticipated that a wide variety of modifications of the presentinvention may be devised without departing from the spirit and scopethereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A composite disposable container for liquids and freelowing solidscomprising an outer housing of flexible material, said housing having agenerally rectangular closed bottom and an open end, a liquid tightplastic bladder positioned in said housing, a pour spout connected toand extending outwardly from said bladder, a pull out patch in saidhousing positioned adjacent said spout to provide access to said spoutthrough said housing, a closure and integral upstanding handle panelformed by infolding said open end, and means securing said closure inits infolded position.

2. The container of claim 1 wherein the handle panel is formed with ahand access opening.

3. The container of claim 1 further including a reinforcing stripsecured to said handle portion to rigidify the handle.

4. A composite, disposable container for liquids and free flowing solidsincluding an integral pour spout comprising an interior plastic bladderfitted with a pour spout,

"9 a 4 an interior paper housing defining a square bottom paperReferences Cited by the Examiner bag and having a ptlll out patchadjaeent said pour spout, UNITED STATES PATENTS said bag and lnteriorbladder defining generally a rectangular prism, one end of said bagbeing closed by a 1,410,404 3/22 Hames 22954 sewn seam defining a handlepanel, said handle panel 5 2,625,318 1/53 Ross 22962X 3,117,695 1/64 Cox229'-14 having a reinforcing band, a cutout formed in said panel in theregion of said reinforcing band, said composite v package being portablemanually by grasping said handle JOSEPH LECLAIR Prlmary Exammer' panelin the region of the cutout. FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,206,105 September 14, 1965 Malcolm H. Smith It is hereby certifiedthat error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction andthat the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 1, for "interior" read exterior Signed and sealed this17th day of May 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER A Attesting Officer Commissioner ofPatents

1. A COMPOSITE DISPOSABLE CONTAINER FOR LIQUIDS AND FREE-FLOWING SOLIDSCOMPRISING AN OUTER HOUSING OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL, SAID HOUSING HAVING AGENERALLY RECTANGULAR CLOSED BOTTOM AND AN OPEN END, A LIQUID TIGHTPLASTIC BLADDER POSITIONED IN SAID HOUSING, A POUR SPOUT CONNECTED TOAND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID BLADDER, A PULL OUT PATCH IN SAIDHOUSING POSITIONED ADJACENT SAID SPOUT TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO SAID SPOUTTHROUGH SAID HOUSING, A CLOSURE AND INTEGRAL UPSTANDING HANDLE PANELFORMED BY INFOLDING SAID OPEN END, AND MEANS SECURING SAID CLOSURE INITS INFOLDED POSITION.